1733 The Thunderous Heartbeat!
A few moments later...
Under the cloak of dim quantum lights, Commander Bia made her way to the designated meeting spot outside the city's premises.
After she arrived, the figure of Uranus materialized before her, his presence as imposing as ever.
"You've come," Uranus's voice boomed, breaking the silence around them.
"You've made it clear I have little choice in the matter," Bia replied, her voice steady despite the turmoil that stirred within her.
Uranus's gaze seemed to pierce through the darkness, focusing intently on Commander Bia, making her feel like a predator was staring at her.
Not known for wasting time, Uranus neither spoke about the past nor checked on her situation here.
He produced a spiritual picture and showed it to Bia with a gesture that demanded her full attention.
"This wretched place holds two individuals of interest to me." He said coldly.
Bia studied the picture closely, not recognizing either individual...However, she picked up on their identity being from the matter universe.
Thus, for them to be able to enter and remain in the quantum realm for a prolonged period implied that they were at least at a unigin level.
That's because she was the only primogenitor with the capability to enter the quantum realm without suffering from horrible side effects.
The same side effects Lady Sphinx suffered from while entering the quantum realm through shrinking a sand grain and controlling through a wisp.
Since the quantum realm didn't support anything related to spirits or souls, only those with powerful souls at levels of unigins could resist the backlash.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAs for her? She was using her vibration manipulation to avoid the backlash entirely.
Uranus wasn't surprised she didn't recognize them. He went on and introduced them in great detail.
He told her about Apollo being able to command light and darkness. His playful and pervy personality. Also his name and any information that could be used to see through his disguise.
When he started talking about Felix and how he could utilize seven sins laws, heat laws, void laws, and most likely, liquid, electromagnetism laws, and even vibration, Commander Bia was left utterly stunned.
"How can there be a unigin with this many laws under him? Isn't this against the universe order and balance?!" Commander Bia asked with a dazed expression.
She might have left the matter universe at a young age, but she still understood that the universe would never allow a singular being to command this much power.
"I am not here to answer questions," Uranus remarked with a hardened gaze, "It will be in your best interest to find them. Actively hunt for them. If, upon my return, you have nothing to show, I will take you back with me and finish what I have started."
Commander Bia felt chills course down her spine at such a clear threat, leaving no room for negotiation or refusal.
Understanding that it would be in her best interest to agree, she nodded with a lowered head, seemingly accepting her fate.
"If only you were this obedient, we might not have reached this state." Uranus' voice turned soft as he reached out with his hand, caressing her cheek gently.
"..."
Commander Bia could only bite her lips tightly until a drip of blood flowed down her chin, holding her boiling hatred and disgust to his touch.
While it was gentle, she felt like a piece of dark ice was placed on her cheek. His coldness always showed his true character of being an emotionless monster, who cared about no one but himself.
Seeing that she was shaking in her place like she was trying her best not to slap his hand away, Uranus retracted his palm with an indifferent look.
"You know how to reach me."
The meeting ended as quickly as it had begun, with Uranus disappearing into the aether, leaving Commander Bia alone with her contemplations and disturbed feelings.
As she turned to make her way back to the city, her expression was as icy as Uranus' touch. Her mind raced with plans and contingencies.
How could she navigate this? How would she protect those under her command from the whims of a god? The answers eluded her at this point.
However, after the mercenary trials ended and she was 80% certain about Felix and Apollo's true identities, the answer finally arrived.
'The Echoing Tower...That's my way out of his captivity forever...'
She murmured as she took a small sip of her tea. Her gaze at the rainbowy quantum lights reflected an untold story of resolve mixed with a tint of madness.***
A couple of days later...
Commander Bia and her squad, accompanied by the chosen mercenaries, stood in front of the Dimensional Transportation Building.
It was a fascinating structure, towering above them. The building pulsed with energy, humming softly, a sound that echoed in the bones of all who approached.
This building had countless gates per floor, each one a portal to a different destination. The gates were marked with symbols and numbers, a complex system of identification that spoke of places both near and unimaginably far.
Usually, this building was packed with travelers from all around the quantum realm. But today, it was reserved for Commander Bia's squad.
Bia addressed her assembled team, her voice slashing through the air with clarity and purpose.
"Today, we have been tasked with a mission that shall examine us to our very limits. It's more than just a quest; it's a test of our resolve, our strength, and our unity. We will face unknown dangers, navigate through unfamiliar dimensions, and confront powers that defy our understanding."
The mercenaries, veterans of countless battles, remained silent, their faces masks of seriousness.
They had seen much in their lifetimes, yet the magnitude of the Echoing Tower instilled a sense of fear and anticipation.
"We have been ready for such an opportunity for millions of years." Plix noted with a solemn assuring voice, "Have no concern, for we, the Quantum Divers, shall have your back throughout the entire journey."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Likewise, likewise." Apollo nodded passionately, making Felix's eyelids twitch.
Even though they had signed a contract that forced them to remain with the party and follow Commander Bia's orders, none of them planned on respecting it.
That's because the only draw side of voiding the contract was getting blacklisted by the Vibrnonxian empire and get treated as a fugitive.
In their case, they were already fugitives.
Nods and murmurs of agreement echoed through the group, a tangible sign of their unity and readiness to face whatever lay beyond those gates.
Commander Bia nodded in approval.
"Then let us proceed."
With a final look at the towering gates, Bia led her team forward, stepping towards one of the shimmering portals. One by one, the other teams followed.
The Dimensional Transportation Building, once buzzing with the voices of the assembled team, fell silent.
***
After a grueling journey that spanned over two months, Commander Bia and her squad finally shortened the distance between them and the tower until it appeared as a tiny black dot from a distance.
The portal had deposited them in the nearest area possible to the tower, but the final leg of their journey was left to their own devices.
This last stretch wasn't easy in the slightest due to the tower's location being situated in an extremely dangerous zone.
But, for a team created out of the best of the best in the Vibronxian empire, it merely set them back for a short while.
KAAAAA-THUUUUMB!!!
As Felix and the team approached the Echoing Tower, a sudden, thunderous heartbeat echoed through the air, reverberating across the vast distances of the desolate landscape that surrounded them!
The sound was so deep, so powerful, that it seemed to shake the very ground beneath their feet, sending a shiver down the spine of everyone present!
'What was that?' Candace exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise.
'What else?' Felix anwsered with a solemn expression, 'It's heart within The Echoing Tower.'